Metal Sludge Gossip Board

Posted: **Sat Jun 28, 2025 3:42 am**

Who went to this tour? Richard Black left singing for Contraband after just 1 show? AI said so. So, it was Ratt/la guns/band tango w/out Contraband? after 1 show? Who went to this tour? Bang Tango's set in Auburn Hills is on YouTube, I read they only drew 4k. They were booked on setlist.fm into the big arenas and sheds, I'm sure in 91 Ratt must've struggled with this tour. Anyone go?

Posted: **Sat Jun 28, 2025 3:46 am**

No, but I did see Arcade open for Bon Jovi in Tampa. Does that count?

Posted: **Sat Jun 28, 2025 3:59 am**

I'm all for retelling old Sludge stories, but this one's been told 1000x, and blunderdan has been here long enough to have heard.

Posted: **Sat Jun 28, 2025 5:36 am**

I’ve talked to singer of Shark Island after Shark Island show about Contraband! I told him how much I loved Contraband and videos on HeadBangers Ball! He doesn’t have fond memories of band…but I do!!

I’ve talked to Traci Guns before about Contraband! He didn’t like the way it came out sounding..but I did!

I had no idea All The Way From Memphis was cover when released ..and I shouldn’t….what magical time when that was shown on HeadBangers Ball with Mr Cathouse introducing it!!!

Hey I still have Contraband cd longbox!

Contraband was only on tour for 1 show?…well at least it was taped for ABC In Concert!..ContraWIN!!!!

Posted: **Sat Jun 28, 2025 9:15 am**

i saw the poplar creek show of that tour

Posted: **Sat Jun 28, 2025 9:46 am**

I seem to recall a lot of finger pointing after the fact, especially when it totally bombed and nobody gave a F#@k. A lot of hype, a lot of cooks in the kitchen, and turmoil from within almost from the jump.

Also... I seem to remember it was all bands under the same Management umbrella, and there were some complaints within that all of the other members of said bands, ie: Ratt, Vixen, L.A. Guns, etc... were not thrilled as this 'super group' was taking away from the focus on their original bands.

Something else I vaguely recall, is that there were some issues with members claiming the management company was double-dipping, or shall we say triple-dipping and more.

In short, the entire package guarantee, merchandise sales, etc... were all being commissioned by the same company.

Or as they call it today, a "cash grab".

$tEvil

Posted: **Sun Jun 29, 2025 11:36 am**

I remember reading an interview years ago where Black said that taking the Contraband gig broke up Shark Island

Posted: **Sun Jun 29, 2025 11:45 am**

Did that matter?

Posted: **Sun Jun 29, 2025 11:46 am**

Contraband was basically the Ratt encore during this tour. Michael Schenker was already playing with Ratt. They were joined by Tracii Guns. If I remember correctly, all they played was Honkey Tonk Women.

Posted: **Sun Jun 29, 2025 11:50 am**

Yeah once Black quit that's what they did.

Posted: **Sun Jun 29, 2025 12:31 pm**

I bought the CD used for probably $5 and felt ripped off.

Posted: **Sun Jun 29, 2025 1:14 pm**

Fat_Elvis wrote: ↑Sun Jun 29, 2025 12:31 pm I bought the CD used for probably $5 and felt ripped off.

I picked it up from Goodwill for $1 or $2 probably 8 years ago. I've never listened to it.

Posted: **Sun Jun 29, 2025 4:32 pm**

Black didn't quit, he was fired. He had mic or monitor problems at the first show, and instead of dealing with it, he threw the mic down and walked off stage, leaving the other guys hanging. He fucked up.

...and that was it.

Posted: **Sun Jun 29, 2025 5:16 pm**

Sleek wrote: ↑Sun Jun 29, 2025 4:32 pm Black didn't quit, he was fired. He had mic or monitor problems at the first show, and instead of dealing with it, he threw the mic down and walked off stage, leaving the other guys hanging. He fucked up.

...and that was it.

Sounds like a total pro.

Posted: **Wed Aug 20, 2025 5:04 pm**

cowpins wrote: ↑Sat Jun 28, 2025 3:46 am No, but I did see Arcade open for Bon Jovi in Tampa. Does that count?

I saw Arcade play in a Florida club in 1993 and it was one of the worst concerts i had ever been to. The radio stations advertising for the concert kept playing Ratt music and nothing from Arcade. So everybody who was there expected to hear Ratt songs. No Ratt songs were played and anytime someone from the crowd requested a Ratt song Stephen would say "Ratt is dead" or "if you want to hear Ratt go buy a fucking CD".

Posted: **Wed Aug 20, 2025 5:33 pm**

An interview I saw a few years ago with Richard Black, he mentioned the band never rehearsed for any live shows. The equipment was a mix and match from each of the other band members gear from their regular bands, sound problems etc.

Contraband talk starts at 12:32

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5UiFijjmsLo

Posted: **Wed Aug 20, 2025 8:28 pm**

That-guy wrote: ↑Sun Jun 29, 2025 11:46 am Contraband was basically the Ratt encore during this tour. Michael Schenker was already playing with Ratt. They were joined by Tracii Guns. If I remember correctly, all they played was Honkey Tonk Women.

Pretty much this. When I saw the tour (in Northern Indiana, 30 minutes from Chicago) Micheal Shenker came out in the middle of “Round and Round” and did Robins part of the solo. I also remember they did “Lights Out in London”. They very well may have played another song, but there was no big Contraband set.

Posted: **Wed Aug 20, 2025 8:48 pm**

How does Richard Black make his living? There wasn't enough money in Shark Island to support him having a house, etc. Was he independently wealthy? Or have the wife working a steady job? Shark Island needed a strong major label album out in '86 or '87, and I think they could have broken through. By time of Bill & Ted and Law of the Order, it felt just a little too late. They didn't have the right management, and S'cool Bus simply didn't have good enough songs to be the independent appetizer they wanted it to be.

Posted: **Wed Aug 20, 2025 9:13 pm**

Rich2123 wrote: ↑Wed Aug 20, 2025 8:28 pm
That-guy wrote: ↑Sun Jun 29, 2025 11:46 am Contraband was basically the Ratt encore during this tour. Michael Schenker was already playing with Ratt. They were joined by Tracii Guns. If I remember correctly, all they played was Honkey Tonk Women.
Pretty much this. When I saw the tour (in Northern Indiana, 30 minutes from Chicago) Micheal Shenker came out in the middle of “Round and Round” and did Robins part of the solo. I also remember they did “Lights Out in London”. They very well may have played another song, but there was no big Contraband set.

They also played Walkin' the Dog. I think that's about it.

Posted: **Wed Aug 20, 2025 10:35 pm**

Worst thing Schenker had done up until then. Terrible band.

Posted: **Wed Aug 20, 2025 11:35 pm**

Shark Island were at their peak when they were called "The Sharks" and released an album called "Altar Ego". I've posted it here a few times - absolutely killer stuff. But that was 1981 - if they were going to break through, it would have been back then, along with Crue and QR.

They got a deal way later on because of Guns n' Roses, but their moment had come and gone.

Posted: **Thu Aug 21, 2025 1:29 am**

MetalSludgeCEO wrote: ↑Sat Jun 28, 2025 9:46 am I seem to recall a lot of finger pointing after the fact, especially when it totally bombed and nobody gave a F#@k. A lot of hype, a lot of cooks in the kitchen, and turmoil from within almost from the jump.

Also... I seem to remember it was all bands under the same Management umbrella, and there were some complaints within that all of the other members of said bands, ie: Ratt, Vixen, L.A. Guns, etc... were not thrilled as this 'super group' was taking away from the focus on their original bands.

Something else I vaguely recall, is that there were some issues with members claiming the management company was double-dipping, or shall we say triple-dipping and more.

In short, the entire package guarantee, merchandise sales, etc... were all being commissioned by the same company.

Or as they call it today, a "cash grab".

$tEvil

Without the cash.

Posted: **Thu Aug 21, 2025 6:16 am**

Mitch LaFon's camera angle, lighting etc. is not good.

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